Pope Francis Invites Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte For Private Visit At The Vatican

THE VATICAN (The Adobo Chronices, Rome Bureau) – In a move that stunned Vatican insiders as well as the politically-inclined Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), Pope Francis has formally invited Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte for a private visit this month.

Duterte, who once publicly cursed Francis and who is widely criticized for his war on drugs, says he is leaning towards accepting the invitation.

Recently, the Pope urged governments to combat the production and distribution of drugs and said that it is the task of governments “to face with courage this fight against the traffickers of death.”

The invitation is a big disappointment for the CBCP heirarchy who, like Duterte’s critics and the biased mainstream news media, have accused the President of engaging in extra-judicial killings in connection with his war on drugs.

”Whatever happened to the Fifth Commandment (Thou shall not kill),” former CBCP President Socrates Villegas asked.

The Vatican told The Adobo Chronicles that the Pope wants to seek the advice of Duterte on how best to stop the proliferation of drugs around the world. A papal spokesperson said that many world leaders have tried but failed to solve the illegal drug trade, including in the Pope’s native Argentina.